Rutgers seminar offers insights from equestrian stars

Dressage rider and combined driver Sara Schmitt was one of the panelists for Rutgers University's Horse Management SeminarNancy Jaffer/For The Star-Ledger

They were a disparate group of equestrians, gathered for a panel discussion at Rutgers' annual horse management seminar, called "Caring for Your Equine Athlete."

But as they talked, it was apparent that the reiner, the endurance rider, the eventer, and the driver/dressage rider had a lot in common, despite the differences in their disciplines.

Responding to questions from their audience last weekend in New Brunswick, they talked about a wide range of topics, from the way they got started to what they feed, offering an abundance of information for those seeking more insight into their sports.

Meg Sleeper, a veterinary cardiologist from Frenchtown whose specialty is endurance, owns a gold medal from the Pan American Championships, has competed everywhere from Germany to Malaysia (where she survived a lightning strike), and is a veteran of the World Equestrian Games. She is pointing toward another WEG this summer in France and is currently ranked fourth in the standings for the U.S. team.

"I was desperate to ride and have a horse as a kid," recalled Sleeper, who took some lessons at Woodedge in Moorestown and finally got a horse when she was 11. But her family had no money for a saddle, so she rode the quiet, older Appaloosa bareback when she was starting out.

"I would fall off eight or nine times a day," she laughed. She joined 4-H and did a 25-mile competitive trail ride with her App in South Jersey "where no one said anything about his color. I was hooked."

With endurance, she noted, "it's very easy to get caught up in going fast and racing before the horse should race." She pointed out that on the controversial desert rides, a 100-mile route has been timed in six 6 hours, 23 minutes. In contrast, she has done 100 miles in seven hours, 40 minutes, though that's still quite impressive.

"It's amazing what horses can do," Sleeper said, noting that to succeed with the animals,"patience is as important as other factors."

She pointed out that a lot of people come to endurance in middle age, and there are easy ways to start.

"If you can ride a horse one hour to one and one-half hours, you can do competitve trail riding and lot of people would love to get you involved," she said.

Sara Schmitt of Pittstown has driven in the world championships and is a dressage trainer who competes at Grand Prix level. She's no-nonsense, emphasizing that to succeed, "the biggest thing is discipline. Even when it's 20 degrees out, I have to ride."

There was a lot of talk about goals at the session, and she noted, "for any discipline, set a reasonable goal. Don't say, `I want to ride in the Olympics' when you're just learning to post."

In dealing with veterinary issues, she pointed out that the higher a horse's level, "the more delicate they are. Be willing to think outside the box and get a second opinion."

She reminded people, "if you are with your horse on a daily basis, you know your horse best. Keep a journal."

Carol Kozlowski, an eventer from New York state, is best known for two things: her competition partnership with the 15-hand Connemara stallion, Hideaway's Erin Go Bragh, and her successful effort to end the requirement that eventers carry 165 pounds of weight.

Speaking about Erin Go Bragh, she said he "started out as ordinary, but there was nothing he wouldn't try. He got better and better; the better he got, the more beautiful he got.

" I happened to be the person going along for the ride," continued Kozlowski, who has ridden three of his offspring to the advanced level. She believes "a good horse of any discipline lends itself to trainability."

In the days when eventers were obliged to meet the weight levels, she often needed 40 pounds of lead to hit the requirement. Horses carrying dead weight jumped in a different trajectory than those who weren't, she said, noting she "had non-refutable evidence it was a big deal. Men who should have known better said it was not a big deal."

She was right, and after a five-year effort to change the rule, the studies, petitions, and presentations ended in the regulation being eliminated in 1997.

On the often-confusing subject of nutrition, she commented, "roughage is my favorite feed," a thought echoed by Sleeper, who said, "I prefer roughage to concentrate" and noted she has the feed she's using analyzed for its ingredients.

Kozlowski's mantra is, "Keep good quality hay in front of the horses. The big problem is overfeeding, giving more nutritionally than what they need." She doesn't feed a lot of supplements, believing "grain should give the horse what it needs."

Matt Palmer, a Pennsylvania reiner, is eighth-ranked for the WEG at this point. He was "born into horses" and as he got more involved, his family's acreage and stables got bigger. He emphasized teamwork, saying, "I'm the last piece of a big puzzle," giving special thanks to his parents, who started him riding and still work with him.

Palmer noted the unpredictability of breeding, noting a mare he had that won only $4,000 -- in a sport where prize money often is hundreds of thousands of dollars -- produced a foal who brought $200,000.

His discussion of money made Sleeper smile, as she noted, "our main award is a T-shirt."

Following the theme of the seminar, Palmer said he "had to learn to put my foot down for the best interests of the horse. Care and the extra miles that go into it made me that much more successful. When you're working with these animals, you have to give back to them."

ON THE RAIL -- Several New Jersey riders have been selected for Nations' Cup teams in dressage and show jumping that will compete at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Fla., this week and the following weekend.

Catherine Haddad Staller of Califon is on one of the two U.S. dressage squads with Mane Stream Hot Mail. Staller was the reserve rider for the 2006 and 2010 World Equestrian Games and is hoping to make the team this time.

The teams are a mix of Grand Prix and Small Tour competitors. Staller will be joined on that team by by Justin Hardin of Long Valley with Wyatt Star, a member of the second-place team at last year's Nations' Cup.

Among the missing for the dressage Nations' Cup, however, is Kim Herslow of Stockton, who was a star in the 2013 competition with her Rosmarin, known around the barn as Reno.

Explaining her absence, Herslow commented, "Reno bumped the front of his leg right above his ankle and will need about two weeks of light work before going back into our training and showing program. Very disappointed, but it's just bad timing."

The team on which Staller and Hardin are riding also includes Shelley Francis (Doktor) and Ashley Wimmer (Sommerhall). The other U.S. team features Olympians Tina Konyot (Calecto V) and Adrienne Lyle (Wizard); Silva Martin (Rosa Cha W) and Shawna Harding (Rigo).

The line-up for the U.S. show jumping squad includes Olympic gold medalists Laura Kraut, McLain Ward and Beezie Madden, teammates on the 2008 team in Hong Kong.

The fourth rider is a member of the up-and-coming generation of competitors, 25-year-old Brianne Goutal with her stallion Nice de Prissey.

Brianne Goutal and Nice de Prissey will represent the U.S. in Florida later this month. Nancy Jaffer/For The Star-Ledger

It surprised many people that Kent Farrington, number one on the Rolex/U.S. Equestrian Federation Rider list, was not on the squad. But as coach Robert Ridland explained it, Farrington's top-ranked horse Willow, is one on which he only got the ride last fall.

"He feels very strongly that he needs a bit more time to cement the relationship before having him named to a Nations' Cup squad. Kent and I have I discussed this situation numerous times over the last few weeks, and we are in total agreement that this is the best plan for the future of the horse’s progress," Ridland said.

"I have always stressed that I will defer to sound horsemanship and long term planning…over short term results. The rest of the team for Wellington is straight down the computer ranking list (five weeks out from the event).

"Furthermore, the rider that replaces Kent is Brianne Goutal and I believe this provides her with a tremendous opportunity to make a solid contribution in a high-pressure situation, as she rides alongside three of the four Olympic Gold Medalists from Hong Kong."

Farrington was a big winner this weekend on Blue Angel, taking both the $84,000 Salamander Hotels & Resorts Grand Prix in Wellington, Fla., Friday, and the qualifier class as well. His time in the grand prix was a blistering 36.58 seconds for a clear round, with Olympic bronze medalist Cian O'Connor of Ireland second on Carolus Z in a much slower 39.28 seconds.

The show jumping Cup weekend also will feature Nations' Cups for riders on the rise.

The Young Riders' team includes Michael Hughes of Allendale, winner of the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals in Gladstone last autumn. There also are cup competitions for junior and "child" riders...

Riding with HEART, Hunterdon Equine Assisted Recreation and Therapy, is seeking donations of new and used tack, equestrian clothing, barn supplies and equipment for a sale from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. March 22 at its Pittstown farm.

The non-profit's equine-assisted programs serve clients with a wide range of disabilities, from autism to spina bifida and communicative disorders. In addition, the organization’s unmounted equine-assisted learning/psychotherapy programs partner with horses in tackling depression, bullying and children-at-risk, family, relationship, and women’s issues.

Donated items may be brought to 639 Route 513, just west of Pittstown, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, or on Saturday March 8 and Saturday March 15 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Call (908) 735-5912 before coming or to coordinate an alternative drop-off time. All donations are tax deductible. Monetary donations may be mailed to Riding with HEART, 639 County Road 513, Pittstown, NJ 08867 or online at www.ridingwithheart.org...

A new home is being sought for Spring Reins of Life, a non-profit that provides equine-assisted psychotherapy services for veterans, at-risk youth and bereaved children and Spring Reins of Hope, a for-profit organization that provides equine-assisted psychotherapy and equine-assisted learning services for personal and professional growth.

They need a facility in Hunterdon, Morris or Somerset counties with a minimum of five dry stalls and labor, with room to grow; a minimum of two turnout areas, an arena, office, storage space and an indoor arena if possible.

Anyone who has such a place, or knows of one may contact Christianna Capra at (347) 886-2798 or info@springreinsoflife.org.